Guitar Hero TV show, Call of Duty movie under consideration - Report

Activision looking to translate its rhythm game, war action series into small- and big-screen properties, claims the Hollywood Reporter; concert tour also a possibility.

When Brett Ratner pronounced that he wanted to make a Guitar Hero movie last year, the floodgates of derision swung wide open. Now, though, Activision appears to be seriously considering a television show centered on the game. (Apparently the lingerie-model TV ads and rampant product placement in Californication weren't enough.)

Apparently this was too subtle.

Shortly before parent company Activision Blizzard reported that the Guitar Hero series has generated $2 billion in sales--a feat matched only by the Madden and Super Mario Bros. franchises--CEO Bobby Kotick spoke with the The Hollywood Reporter. Though he declined to comment on Legendary Pictures' in-limbo World of Warcraft movie, he did say that that the rhythm-game series "might make for a good TV show or a good concert tour."

Though a throwaway comment on its own, Kotick's statement was backed up by an unnamed source who told the Reporter that discussions to turn Guitar Hero into a reality show are underway. Adding to the Activision cross-media synergy stew, the trade reported that the same source said that another marquee Activision series, Call of Duty, is "being talked about for the big screen."

Kotick also wouldn't address the prospect of a Call of Duty movie, but was unapologetic about Activision Blizzard's attempt to generate revenue wherever it can. "We have growth and we're making money. That's better than others can say," he said, in an apparent dig at archrival Electronic Arts, which reported $1 billion in annual losses this week .

242 Comments

  • Underworldy69

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 6:07 pm PT

    A Call of Duty movie? Really? Any WW2 movie any made can be called a Call of Duty movie. And what is so special about a Guitar Hero TV Show? People just playing Guitar Hero? Guitar Hero is starting to become the new Guitar.

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Oct 10, 2009 3:32 pm PT

    I don't know how you could make a Guitar Hero movie. Seriously. Any Ideas?

  • FartMonkey65

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 9:05 pm PT

    You're kidding me right?

  • grungeman91

    Posted Jun 20, 2009 11:34 am PT

    Who would wanna watch some dumb moron play with a plastic guitar and a drum kit on MTV or VH1 for 30 minutes?
    Seriously, Activision is getting a lot like the old EA

  • jjwalker9600

    Posted May 30, 2009 1:44 pm PT

    Didn't I see this on South Park? He comes the beginning of the end of Guiltar Hero.

  • DarkTempler1

    Posted May 24, 2009 5:42 pm PT

    plastic guitar shows on GHtv is probably gonna be what it is.. I can imagine it being the best player in the world (Phenom Man) going on a real world tour playing the game at concerts xD.... they had tournaments sorta like that waaay back in the days of GH2... the WCVG.

    I actually think if the COD movie is done right with professional actors, director, and such that it could be cool but thats a IF they do everything perfect.

  • davros878

    Posted May 23, 2009 12:33 pm PT

    I also agree with Adzey.

  • davros878

    Posted May 23, 2009 12:32 pm PT

    what!? no!?!?!?! this is a horrible idea! An absolute bad turn for Activision ! Haven't we learned anything from the Super Mario Bros. movie?! It was terrible! It sucked! And the game that came after that movie was the least successful game in the series. The same goes with that Sonic movie! They all sucked! So Activision should not even think about thinking about thinking about ever in their wildest dreams consider for one moment doing any of this crap! EVER!

  • RAVEZero

    Posted May 21, 2009 10:36 pm PT

    Moooooo....

  • VinceL GameSpot staff member

    Posted May 19, 2009 11:28 am PT

    I thought there already was a Call of Duty movie. It was called EVERY WORLD WAR II EVER MADE.

  • Jee-Man

    Posted May 15, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    Milk franchises much?

  • Masta_Jedi

    Posted May 13, 2009 1:39 pm PT

    Movies and TV shows based on video games are NOT a good idea unless done extremely well... and it looks like that's not going to happen anytime soon..

  • heds777

    Posted May 12, 2009 1:16 pm PT

    I shall eat my own somting not very nice if that movie is good

  • Adzey

    Posted May 12, 2009 4:16 am PT

    A CoD movie...oh look at hollywood, trying to milk the next big thing for all it's worth, this movie won't be made, remember the Halo, Gears of War, Metroid Prime etc. movies, either it won't be made or it'll be like the rest of the video game movies and end up terrible, anyone remember Doom?

  • bunbun343

    Posted May 11, 2009 6:02 pm PT

    @Gamer_4_Fun
    Before you cut something down you'll want to avoid using grammar like "most stupidest," because it greatly decreases your credibility.

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted May 11, 2009 3:34 pm PT

    It seems like the cash cow still has plenty of milk left.

  • tommygun6644

    Posted May 11, 2009 1:20 pm PT

    Just make every damn game into a movie directed by Uwe Boll.

  • Gamer_4_Fun

    Posted May 11, 2009 11:17 am PT

    COD movie would be the most stupidest ideas ever. COD is a military war game be it modern or WWII, we already have great films on that, i highly doubt a COD movie can make a dent on Blackhawk down.

  • damaster101

    Posted May 11, 2009 10:49 am PT

    @rockatanski
    Yeah i fully agree with you there man a tv show would work really well, if done right it could be so good because Call of Duty can branch off into so many things.If its anything like Band of Brothers i'm 110% for it.

    Guitar Hero tv?For gods sake man its one thing playing the game but what the hell is the point in watching people play it(i'm assuming thats the point).Go to a damn concert or just listen to some guitar solos have a look at freebird...oh wait thats on guitar hero as well.

  • necronaux

    Posted May 11, 2009 10:21 am PT

    GH TV? Trump Apprentice: Guitar Hero? Who thinks of this stuff? A reality show where we can watch people play GH? Fire them all!

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted May 11, 2009 9:56 am PT

    Ooo EA got burned!

  • purplemooose

    Posted May 11, 2009 9:21 am PT

    Oh god please no.

  • commander1122

    Posted May 11, 2009 9:03 am PT

    most of the games = movie fail.....

  • CapedCod

    Posted May 11, 2009 7:03 am PT

    I could see GH being a tv show, but it would have to be on par with the game shows Nickelodeon had in the 90s. You know, bring out some kids, makes them square of tournament style, and then give the kid a trip to Universal. I can't see it being a "make 20 Guitar Hero fanatics live in a house" kind of show.

  • Justinge3

    Posted May 11, 2009 5:43 am PT

    chaoricchild555 i completely agree that it should be a cartoon

  • chaoticchild555

    Posted May 10, 2009 11:38 pm PT

    Wow... nevermind, it's going to be a reality show... wow... wow... They should take my cartoon idea.

  • chaoticchild555

    Posted May 10, 2009 11:34 pm PT

    I think you guys are missing the point of the GH show... it's going to, most likely, be a cartoon on either Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network. Possibly Adult Swim, but it's going to be about the characters going around and getting into stupid shenannigans that they will have to "Rock their way out of"... hmmm, might not be so bad actually... lol. Now, the CoD movie? What's so wrong with that? It could be awesome! Why wouldn't it be? Why is everyone saying, awwww, CoD movie would suck. The only thing that would make it 'suck' is if... it was directed on a tiny budget. It's going to be good, relax.

  • auron_16

    Posted May 10, 2009 11:16 pm PT


    worst things have happened, but still.

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted May 10, 2009 10:38 pm PT

    D'=

  • Erebus

    Posted May 10, 2009 10:19 pm PT

    Upon reading this article title, a certain Weezer song from the '90s popped into my head.

    Duh-nuh!
    Neeer
    Duh-nuh!
    Neeer
    "Saaay it ain't soooo-oh-whoa-oh-whoa."

  • firehawk998

    Posted May 10, 2009 9:57 pm PT

    I can and will gurantee you guys that in the year 2011 the number of guitar hero games/sequels/spinoffs will cross the 150 mark. The way Activision is producing the game my prediction is not that far fetched. I

  • SPYDER0416

    Posted May 10, 2009 9:04 pm PT

    Oh, and gdude, don't forget Guitar Hero: Rock the 80's

  • SPYDER0416

    Posted May 10, 2009 9:03 pm PT

    A CoD movie would be cool, not sure about any non videogame related to Guitar Movie (I heard Uwe Boll aka King of suck wanted to make a Guitar Hero movie).

  • Bdjohnst

    Posted May 10, 2009 8:56 pm PT

    how do you make a guitar hero tv show? It'll probably be something stupid like Madden Nation.

  • raev92

    Posted May 10, 2009 8:36 pm PT

    this is a joke right???....like the lego rock band thing...right???

  • Ospov

    Posted May 10, 2009 8:12 pm PT

    a CoD4 movie might be ok. CoD5...not so much...

  • rockatanski

    Posted May 10, 2009 7:51 pm PT

    Call of Duty would work as a TV series like Band of Brothers but set in modern war times obviously. I've work with the military and believe me, there are plenty of stories to tell! One movie would not be enough!

  • Mancinaboyz

    Posted May 10, 2009 7:36 pm PT

    two of the worst ideas ever...wtf a cod movie, no WWII movie will every be better then saving private ryan. the cod movie would just be a pacific WWII movie diaster

  • BoondockSaint66

    Posted May 10, 2009 6:16 pm PT

    Didn't Rock Band have a reality kind of show going on on MTV a while ago? Call me crazy but I believe it was before RB2 had come out and people would play against each other and the winner was determined by how loud the audience was...?? I couldn't have dreamed this...anyone know what I'm talking about? It was boring as all hell..?

  • DrewKid4

    Posted May 10, 2009 5:20 pm PT

    No no no no no no no no no no...and in spanish...no!

  • sheepradish

    Posted May 10, 2009 5:07 pm PT

    A Guitar Hero Tour would be good. bands that have had a few songs in the games hit the world on a tour, amazing!

  • APCTool88

    Posted May 10, 2009 5:02 pm PT

    @gdude5678 yeah theyre starting in too i saw something on a lego rock band the other day

  • tunaface

    Posted May 10, 2009 4:43 pm PT

    give the COD movie to Uwe Bolle. He'll effectively turn a terrible idea into an even worse movie.

  • Terminator736

    Posted May 10, 2009 4:24 pm PT

    a CoD movie? WTF???

  • gdude5678

    Posted May 10, 2009 4:15 pm PT

    At least Rock Band hasn't got carried away. Only Rock Band 1, 2, Beatles and PSP version.
    Guitar Hero, however:
    Guitar Hero
    Guitar Hero II
    Guitar Hero III
    Rock Ba, I mean Guitar Hero IV
    Guitar Hero Encore
    Guitar Hero Aerosmith
    Guitar Hero Metallica
    Guitar Hero On Tour
    Guitar Hero On Tour Decades
    Guitar Hero Modern Hits
    Guitar Hero Smash Hits

  • parrot_of_adun

    Posted May 10, 2009 4:08 pm PT

    Ok, Activision is officially worse than EA.

    I'd rather have Jack Tompson running around than have Bobby Kotick actually effecting the industry (and only in negative ways really).

  • starwarsnut7591

    Posted May 10, 2009 3:43 pm PT

    gh is dead let it rest in peace stop beating it beyond recognition.

  • Angre_Leperkan

    Posted May 10, 2009 3:10 pm PT

    These ideas are both awful.

  • muzik_mafia

    Posted May 10, 2009 3:06 pm PT

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA A Call Of Duty movie...
    would suck so much @#$^ it'd make me see it to...
    oh God...

  • rangegear

    Posted May 10, 2009 2:47 pm PT

    A Call of Duty movie?Did'nt they already make of those Already Called Saving Private Ryan?

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